Northamptonshire were the most recent T20 Blast champions in 2026, defeating Hampshire in the final to secure their third title. The competition began in 2003 as England and Wales’ domestic Twenty20 tournament, and its winners list charts the rise of county cricket’s short-format specialists, from Surrey’s inaugural success to Northamptonshire’s latest triumph.
Every T20 Blast Winner and Runner-Up by Year
The tournament has had several names over its history, including the Twenty20 Cup, Friends Provident t20, Friends Life t20, NatWest t20 Blast and Vitality Blast. Those branding changes do not alter the continuity of the competition: each season forms part of the same men’s county Twenty20 honours list. Team names have also changed in some years, with counties often using nicknames such as Hawks, Steelbacks, Outlaws and Rapids.
| Year | Champion | Runner-up |
| 2003 | Surrey Lions | Warwickshire Bears |
| 2004 | Leicestershire Foxes | Surrey Lions |
| 2005 | Somerset Sabres | Lancashire Lightning |
| 2006 | Leicestershire Foxes | Notts Outlaws |
| 2007 | Kent Spitfires | Gloucestershire Gladiators |
| 2008 | Middlesex Crusaders | Kent Spitfires |
| 2009 | Sussex Sharks | Somerset Sabres |
| 2010 | Hampshire Royals | Somerset |
| 2011 | Leicestershire Foxes | Somerset |
| 2012 | Hampshire Royals | Yorkshire Carnegie |
| 2013 | Northants Steelbacks | Surrey |
| 2014 | Birmingham Bears | Lancashire Lightning |
| 2015 | Lancashire Lightning | Northants Steelbacks |
| 2016 | Northants Steelbacks | Durham Jets |
| 2017 | Notts Outlaws | Birmingham Bears |
| 2018 | Worcestershire Rapids | Sussex Sharks |
| 2019 | Essex Eagles | Worcestershire Rapids |
| 2020 | Notts Outlaws | Surrey |
| 2021 | Kent Spitfires | Somerset |
| 2022 | Hampshire Hawks | Lancashire Lightning |
| 2023 | Somerset | Essex |
| 2024 | Gloucestershire | Somerset |
| 2025 | Somerset | Hampshire |
| 2026 | Northamptonshire | Hampshire |
The Competition’s Early Winners
Surrey Lions set the initial benchmark by winning the inaugural 2003 competition, beating Warwickshire Bears in the final. Leicestershire Foxes then became the first repeat champions, taking titles in 2004 and 2006 before completing a three-title record in 2011. Their early success established them as one of the defining Twenty20 county sides of the first decade.
Somerset’s 2005 triumph was followed by a notably mixed record in finals. The county later won in 2023 and 2025, but also finished runner-up on several occasions, including 2009, 2010, 2011, 2021 and 2024. That combination of sustained Finals Day appearances and eventual trophy wins makes Somerset one of the central teams in the tournament’s history.
The 2007 to 2009 period produced three different champions: Kent Spitfires, Middlesex Crusaders and Sussex Sharks. It underlined the competition’s open nature, where a strong county campaign could be converted into a trophy during a single Finals Day. Kent later added another title in 2021, while Middlesex and Sussex remain represented by one championship each in the men’s competition.
Hampshire, Northamptonshire and the Three-Title Clubs
Four counties had reached three men’s titles by the end of the 2026 season: Leicestershire, Hampshire, Somerset and Northamptonshire. Hampshire won in 2010 and 2012 under the Hampshire Royals name, then added a third championship as Hampshire Hawks in 2022. The changing labels reflect team branding rather than different counties.
Northamptonshire’s titles came in 2013, 2016 and 2026. Their earlier wins were achieved as Northants Steelbacks, while the 2026 title was recorded under Northamptonshire. The latest success was particularly significant because it drew them level with the competition’s other three-time champions and confirmed the county’s long-standing pedigree in the format.
For readers following a final or comparing the recent form of the competing counties, fixtures and team news can add useful context alongside the historical record. Searches for today match prediction 100 sure are often tied to the immediate match, but a winners list shows why long-term county Twenty20 records can be just as revealing.
Finals Day and Why Runner-Up Records Matter
The Blast’s climax is Finals Day, when both semi-finals and the final are played at the same ground on one day. That format makes a runner-up position meaningful: reaching the final requires navigating the group stage and knockout route, but lifting the trophy still depends on delivering in a high-pressure single match. That knockout pressure is also why a Cricket Match Prediction for Finals Day is best read alongside each county’s record in previous finals.
Somerset’s runner-up record illustrates that distinction. Their five losing finals from 2009 to 2024 sat alongside championship-winning seasons in 2005, 2023 and 2025. Similarly, Hampshire finished second in both 2025 and 2026 despite their three earlier titles. Finals appearances show recurring competitiveness, while trophies mark the teams that completed the job on the day.
Lancashire also appear in several prominent seasons across the list. Lancashire Lightning were runners-up in 2005, 2014 and 2022 before winning in 2015. The county’s presence under both the Lightning name and Lancashire identity is another reminder that historical lists are easier to read when county names and team brands are considered together.
Notable Title Streaks and Repeat Champions
Leicestershire’s three wins were spread across 2004, 2006 and 2011, rather than arriving in consecutive seasons. Hampshire’s successes in 2010 and 2012 came close together, with their third title a decade later in 2022. Northamptonshire’s 2013 and 2016 victories were followed by another in 2026, while Somerset’s most recent pair came in 2023 and 2025.
Notts Outlaws were the other side to win twice in the modern era, taking trophies in 2017 and 2020. Kent also have two titles, in 2007 and 2021. The repeat winners demonstrate that domestic T20 success has not belonged permanently to one county; squads, captains and conditions change, and Finals Day often gives new challengers a realistic path to silverware. It is the same reason picks such as today dream11 team captain and vice captain have to be reassessed for every fixture rather than carried over from one season to the next.
Gloucestershire’s 2024 title was their first on this list, achieved against Somerset. Worcestershire Rapids earned their sole championship in 2018, while Essex Eagles won in 2019. Birmingham Bears, representing Warwickshire’s Twenty20 side, won in 2014. These one-title seasons add variety to the roll of honour and show the broad spread of winners across the county game.
A Useful Way to Read the Winners List
The simplest approach is to treat the table as a county honours record, while retaining the team names used in each season. Northants Steelbacks and Northamptonshire refer to the same county, just as Hampshire Royals and Hampshire Hawks both refer to Hampshire. Birmingham Bears are Warwickshire’s Twenty20 identity, and Notts Outlaws represent Nottinghamshire.
This context prevents title totals from being split incorrectly between different branded names. It also explains why the 2026 champions are Northamptonshire despite the county’s two earlier victories appearing as Northants Steelbacks. Looking past branding reveals the underlying history: four counties had won three titles each by the end of the 2026 men’s competition.
The T20 Blast winners list begins with Surrey in 2003 and now extends to Northamptonshire’s 2026 success. Across that period, the competition has produced repeat champions, breakthrough winners and familiar finalists, with Finals Day remaining the decisive stage in one of county cricket’s most recognisable limited-overs tournaments.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
